Whilst the focus of Hugtto! PreCure has been on the newest additions to the team for the last few episodes, this one moves the plot forward. PreCure’s enemies are only going to get stronger, and this is where they discover that.This episode starts with Criasu Corporation revealing that PreCure awakening the Mirai Crystals is part of their plan. We also see Ruru and Emiru giving Hugtan the power of their Mirai Crystals.
Ruru and Emiru are now officially part of the opening credits, though they aren’t the only new faces to appear.

The girls feed Hugtan, whilst talking about how much she has grown

At school, the girls overhearing their classmates talking about PreCure. When one of them mentions how Cure Yell is cool for standing up to enemies that are bigger than here, Hana has a very brief flashback.
After school, the girls go their separate ways, but not before deciding to call each other up to sort their plans out.

Hana encounters this mysterious man again

When she is alone, Hana decides to do some sketching. However, the rain starts to fall so she rushes over to a shelter – one that is occupied by the mysterious man she has met a couple of times before.
As they wait for the rain to pass, they end up talking about dreams. Hana doesn’t really know what her dream is, whereas the man dreams of a world of eternal happiness where smiles last forever.
When the rain clears up, a rainbow appears. Hana goes to get a better look at it, and when she turns around the man has vanished from sight.

Chief Daigan of Criasu Corporation

Criasu Corporation make a move, with Daigan convinced that he could defeat PreCure in less than five minutes, unlike Charaleet and Pupple. He soon finds plenty of toge-power and calls forth an Oshimaidaa.

Daigan’s Oshimaidaa

All five members of PreCure transform and rush over to the scene. Daigan introduces himself, claiming that it will all be over in five minutes.

Daigan gets blasted

Daigan isn’t able to finish his sentence before he is attacked from behind. The person responsible is another Criasu Corporation employee.

Doctor Trauma

Daigan was right in the end; it did take less than five minutes. In fact, by Doctor Trauma’s estimation, it was actually above five seconds.

Ange tends to the injured Daigan

Cure Ange attempts to treat Daigan’s wounds, but it seems that the best she can do is sooth him before he disappears. Yell has a go at Doctor Trauma for attacking one of his own, but he really doesn’t care.

The Oshimaidaa gets a power up

Doctor Trauma powers up Daigan’s Oshimaidaa, turning it into a Wild Oshimaidaa. It proves to be a powerful foe, with PreCure struggling to even damage it. As the fight goes on, the mysterious man from earlier appears.
Cure Yell attempts to protect him, but Harry reveals that he is actually the president of Criasu Corporation: George Kurai.
He is able to take all of the Mirai Crystals, thus returning the Cures to their normal forms. He then freezes time – that is how he intends to create a world of eternal happiness.

Time freezes for everyone except Hugtan

Ever since the president appeared, Hugtan had been crying. She continues to cry and move even when time around her is completely frozen. When Kurai attempts to grab her, she calls out each of the PreCure by name. Except for Hana – she calls Hana ‘Mama’.

It is always a bad idea to make a Cure angry

Hana is able to start moving again, and her Mirai Crystal returns to her. Cure Yell leaps towards Kurai, and she attempts to punch him. He dodges it, but Yell is able to safely rescue Hugtan.
With Hugtan back, time returns to the world and the others girls regain their Mirai Crystals.

With time moving again, PreCure are ready to do their thing

Kurai decides it is best to retreat, leaving PreCure to Doctor Trauma and the Wild Oshimaidaa. The girls fight it, and Amour and Ma Cherie get the honour of finishing it off.

We end the episode with some intrigue, as Harry wonders why the Mirai Crystal White hasn’t had its power restored yet, and Criasu Corporation brings out a member who seems to be rather dangerous.

This was a good episode – I’m liking the new villains so far. I guess with Daigan’s elimination, that is everyone who didn’t know what the president actually looked like out of the picture.
The mysterious man turning out to be George Kurai, president of Criasu Corporation isn’t really a surprise. There was enough hints dropped before that he wasn’t exactly one of the good guys.
Talking of Criasu Corporation, this episode further suggested that Harry has some link with them – most likely a former employee. It’ll be interesting to see that story thread play out.

Doctor Trauma is a decent addition to Criasu Corporation’s cast, though it is Bishin that I am most eager to see more of.

I also think we should take a moment to mention that Cure Yell, who cast aside the sword in an earlier episode, didn’t even think twice about punching Kurai when he was making Hugtan cry. This was someone that she thought was actually a decent person not even five minutes beforehand.
Just goes to show: never anger a Cure.

The new ending theme seemed pretty good on first listen, but I’ll need to hear it a few more times before I can compare it to the first one.